The Redemption of Ace Merrill

No fucking way.

"She's engaged?!" Ace managed to whisper out as he stared up at the three of them.

They nodded slowly. Ace looked back down at her as he focused on their fingers. Slowly he began to return the favour as his fingers began to play about with hers.

"It's not real is it?" She asked as she slowly lifted her head to look at him.

"Tell me it's not real Ace. Tell me it's not real. I'm Stella. I'm Stella aren't I?" She fired her comments out. "Tell me I'm still Stella!" She snapped as her hands gripped his tight.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered as he slowly shook his head.

*****

Ace had told the others to leave the paper at the point she broke.

She didn't care as she pushed him down onto his back and rested her head on his chest as she cried.

His arms had remained around her tightly as she had cried harder than she thought possible.

Until she stopped.

She stopped crying completely.

Yet she made no attempt to move.

Ace made no attempt to move.

He let her lie there on top of him, between his legs as he felt her hands gently tug against his top.

Bring his hand down from her back, he watched as she softly began to play about with his fingers again.

"Tell me a story Ace." She whispered as she kept her head on his chest and continued to play about with his fingers.

He sighed slightly. "What story do you want? I ain't good at this-"

"Hero and Leander." She quickly said as she took a deep breath.

"I don't have the book." He mumbled as he looked around.

"So make it up." She somewhat snapped as she still refused to look up at him but also refused to stop playing with his fingers.

"Make it-" Ace stopped himself as he sighed again, letting his head fall back on the bed. "Okay."

"A long time ago, there was a powerful priestess named Hero. She was the most insanely beautiful girl anyone could ever lay their eyes on. Seriously you should have seen the rack on her." He said with a laugh.

Though he received a smack he heard her small giggle.

"But there was also an absolute badass of guy named Leander. Total lady killer, rode with a pretty decent crew and definitely thought he was living his best life."

"Anyway one day Leander's car broke down, which believe me really fucking pissed him off."

Ace heard her small laugh again as he continued to feel her fingers playing softly with his.

"So right, his car had totally gone to shit. And as I said he was pissed. Then he saw Hero. Stupidly he thought she'd only be good for a few nights but he didn't realise that when he did have her living with him for those few nights, they were the most entertaining he'd ever have."

He felt her smile against his chest as he carried on.

"Hero managed to successfully cut herself with a knife, fail at doing a handstand or a cartwheel and Leander couldn't lie, she really pissed him off at times."

He got yet another smack as he laughed but carried on.

"But Hero wasn't well right? She had a bit of trouble remembering certain things so Leander had to like, give her a hand with stuff. He stupidly got her into Greek mythology."

Another smack.

"But he was good I think, he might have been an asshole to her but overall he thought he was good."

"I think he was good too." Ace heard her soft voice.

He nodded slowly as he continued. "Anyway so one day when Leander was taking Hero for her breakfasts they found out that there really were people looking for Hero."

Her fingers gripped his slightly tighter.

"So Hero was a bit upset over it all, even if Leander didn't quite understand what for. She could have her family back and surely that meant something. But what Hero didn't know was Leander..." he paused slightly.

Stella lifted her head as she finally looked up at him.

"Leander what?" She asked quietly.

Ace brought his hand to her face and gently wiped the tear that had fallen. He let his head fall back as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Leander didn't actually want her to go. See it was all confusing for him. When she had no chance of going, he really wanted her gone."

He paused.

"But when she had a chance, I mean the whole kingdom was looking for her! He kinda realised that being woken up in the middle of the night because a cup had fallen over was kinda important."

Stella moved her head back as she rested it against his chest again. Her fingers still intertwined with his as she couldn't stop playing with them.

"What did he do?" She asked quietly.

"Who, Leander?"

Stella nodded against his chest. Ace sighed as he shrugged.

"There wasn't anything he could do really. He knew that Hero belonged with her family. See some people say that it was Leander who was caught by Poseidon but it was actually Hero, because believe it or he was actually her dad!"

Stella sat upright as she stared down at Ace in shock. "No fucking way!"

"Yes fucking way!" He returned as she laughed.

Gently resting her head back down on his chest, she let him continue.

"And when Leander saw just how powerful her dad was, he knew he wouldn't stand a chance. Not to mention there was some fat fuck ugly fish Hero was meant to marry."

Another smack.

"Then what happened?" She asked quietly.

Ace was silent as he sighed again. "Leander did the only thing he could do."

Stella once again sat up and stared down at him.

"What was that?" She asked quietly.

Ace gripped her fingers tighter with his as he used his other hand to gently reach up and stroke her cheek.

"He let her go."